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How Much Do Aircraft Mechanics Earn?

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The median annual wage for aircraft mechanics and service technicians was $62,920 in May 2018. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $97,820.

The median annual wage for avionics technicians was $64,140 in May 2018. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $39,940, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,710.

In May 2018, the median annual wages for aircraft mechanics and service technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Scheduled air transportation$83,870
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing64,510
Federal government, excluding postal service59,530
Nonscheduled air transportation59,020
Support activities for air transportation54,350

In May 2018, the median annual wages for avionics technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Scheduled air transportation$81,160
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing72,420
Professional, scientific, and technical services71,650
Federal government58,420
Support activities for air transportation57,210

Mechanics and technicians usually work full time on rotating 8-hour shifts. Overtime and weekend work are common.

Union Membership

Compared with workers in all occupations, aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians have a higher percentage of workers who belong to a union.

Career Outlook

Overall employment of aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians is projected to grow 3 percent from 2016 to 2026, slower than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will vary by occupation (see table below).

Air traffic is expected to increase gradually over the coming decade, and will require additional aircraft maintenance, including that performed on new aircraft. Some airlines may outsource maintenance work to specialized maintenance and repair shops both domestically and abroad. This practice is expected to reduce employment growth opportunities in the air transportation industry over the next 10 years.

Job Prospects

Job opportunities are expected to be good because there will be a need to replace those workers leaving the occupation.